Process oe decorating material



Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES .AZABIAH Y. PEARL, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROCESS OF DECORATING MATERIAL.

1T0 Drawing.

such a Way that the treated material will be 1 entirely non-poisonous and harmless thus making it adaptable for candy boxes, cartons, or containers of food products, covering for toilet articles, etc.

Still'another object of the invention is to provide a novel process by which the desired iridescent appearance is given to the surface of the material by the deposit thereon of a film, which is transparent and does not, therefore, change the color of the article but which is so formed that in certain lights it has this iridescent or mother-of-pearl appearance.

Still another object is to provide an improved process by which the iridescent film thus deposited produces a water repellent surface and which will become united to the body of the material without the use of adhesive or other binder.

Further objects of the invention will be more fully hereinafter set forth and the novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims;

As stated above my process may be applied to the dGCOI'fitlllg of sheet material such as paper, fabric, celluloid, etc., or in fact to a great variety of other material.

In carrying out the process I first apply to the surface to be treated a coating of alum solution, and I will preferably use ammonium alum in forming this solution, although good results can be obtained by using chrome alum or iron alum or other varieties of alum. The alum solution is obtained by dissolving the alum in water and the stren h of the solution may be varied within wide limits depending upon the effects desired to be produced.

While the surface to be treated is still wet with this alum solution I expose said surface to fumes of a volatile alkali, such for -when the ammonia gas or other volatile ale Application filed August 1, 1922. Serial No. 579,083.

instance as ammonia gas and this may be done either in a normal atmosphere or in an atmosphere having an excess of oxygen. Ialso find that better resultsare secured hall is forced against the wet surface of the material with more or less pressure. The action of the ammonia gas on the wet surface produces aluminum hydrate or aluminum hydroxide in the form of a film, which is deposited on the surface being treated. The formation of this film simulates the formation of frost crystals on window panes, that is the film appears to form progressively and in varied designs. After this aluminum hydrate film has been thus formed the surface may be dried in any suitable way and during the drying the film will become firmly united to the surface.

The film which is formed is transparent so that the natural color of the material is visible therethrough and when the surface is looked at directly the film is almost invisible. If, however, the treated surface is looked at from an angle so that a more or less strong light is reflected toward the observer from said surface at an angle the surface presents an iridescent hue resemblin in a marked degree mother-of-pearl or opa This film which gives this iridescent hue does not contain any pigment or other coloring matter but is apparently in itself transparent although it has the quality of giving the surface an iridescent hue when the surface is observed from the proper angle.

Furthermore this hydrate film is insoluble in water and is tough so that by means of this process the paper, fabric or other material is provided with a tough water repellent surface. The film thus formed is entirely non-poisonous so that the process is adapted for forming decorative paper to be used for candy boxes, containers for food products, etc.

In carrying out the process I find that best results can be obtained when the alum solution is applied to the surface in sufiicient quantity so as to form a thin film of solution over the .surface at the time that the latter is subjected to the action of the ammonia gas. A fabric or paper surface, whenlooked at under a powerful microscope Wlll exh1b1t small fibre ends projecting from the surface and in order to get the best effects it is necessary to have a suflicient thickness of alum 6 tion of the h drate film.

The use iron alum will produce different hues than are produced by the am monium alum, the iron alum bringing out more of the red hue.

' 10 I It is also possible to combine my improved piocess with that of dying or coloring paper. other words, I may mix the alum solution with a suitable dye which is used for coloring paper and w en this is done the action 1 of the ammonia gas onthe wet paper will produce the aluminum hydrate film which is de ositedon the paper and which acts as a ve 'cle for the coloring matter or dye so that the dye is. deposited with the. film. If for 2Q instance, a ye ow dye is used then the final surface which is produced will be the yellow color with the iridescent hue, or if the paper be treated with a red dye the final product will be a red paper having the iridescent hue.

The decorative surface which is produced by my improved process has a non-metallic iridescent appearance which may be brought out inagreat variety of shades and colorings dependent on the character of the aluminum solution used and the character of the ,volatile, alkali.

With my improved process the iridescent hue, which 'ves the appearance of color, is produced'wlthout actuall depositing any color on the surface of t e article and by means of the deposit of a film which is transparent, and this I regard as one of the dis tin shing features of the invention. claim: "t

40 1. The process of treating material to roducean iridescent surface thereon w 'ch consists in coating said surface with an alum solution and then 'subjectin said surface to the action of a volatile alkafii.

46 2, The process of trating material to pro 4 duce a decorative'film on'the surface thereof which consists coating said surface .with

'face to the action of an alkali thereby to parent film of aluminum hydrate.

an alum solution and then subjecting said coated surface to the action of ammonia gas.

3. The rocess of treating material to pro- 60 duce an iridescent surface thereon which consists in coating said surface with an alum solution and then delivering ammonia gas under pressure against said surface.

4. The process of treating material to produce an iridescent surface thereon which consists in treating said surface with an alum solution and bringing a volatile alkali in contact therewith.

5. The process of treating material to produce an iridescent surface thereon which consists in treating said surface with an alum. solution and bringing ammonia gas in con-.

' tact therewith.

6. The process of producing an iridescent '55 surface on material which consists in coating said' surface with an alum-containing material and then subjecting said coated surproduce a transparent film having an iridescent hue.

7. The rocess of treating material to provide an iridescent surface thereon which consists in de ositing on said surface a film of alum solut1on and-bringing a volatile alkali in contact therewith. a

8. The process of treatingmaterial to provide an iridescent surface thereon which consists in depositingon said surface a film of alum solution and delivering ammonia gas under pressure against the film.

9. The process of treating material to prov dum an iridescent surface thereon which consists informing on said surface'a trans- 10.-Decorative material. having a face thereof coated with an aluminum hydrate 11. Decorative material having a face thereof coated with an aluminum :hydrate film acting as. a vehicle for dyexmaterial.

In-testi'mony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. J v o ,7

- Y. PEARL. 

